1983
JANUARY
Recording more demos with Steve Severin for The Glove (named after one character in The Beatles' Yellow Submarine). LIKE AN ANIMAL, LOOKING GLASS GIRL, SEX-EYE-MAKE UP, MR. ALPHABET SAYS, A BLUES IN DRAG, PUNISH ME WITH KISSES, THIS GREEN CITY, ORGY, PERFECT MURDER, RELAX, THE MAN FROM NOWHERE, MOUTH TO MOUTH, OPENED TEH BOX (A WALTZ), THE TIGHTROPE (ALMOST TIME), AND ALL AROUND US THE MERMAIDS SANG, HOLIDAY 80
Robert Smith spent the following month touring with the Banshees (Japan/New Zealand/Australia).
MARCH
7th
London, Hammersmith, Riverside Studios
TV performance with Lol on drums, Steve Severin on bass, Marc Almond's Venomettes on strings. Robert Smith played and sang SIAMESE TWINS live while two Royal Ballet dancers would do an entire coregraphy to the song. That was a test to see how Robert could write a score for the Royal Ballet. This project wouldn't see the light of day.
11th
Manchester, Oxford Road Show, TV
Originally a promotional appearance for LET'S GO TO BED, but by putting out a band especially for this (Andy Anderson on drums, Derek Thompson - from SPK - on bass), Robert and Lol played ONE HUNDRED YEARS, and THE FIGUREHEAD live instead.
RARE INERVIEW
MAY
Recording the BLUE SUNSHINE album for THE GLOVE (Robert Smith and Steve Severin's project together) with Andy Anderson on drums adn Jeannette Landray on vocals. An "attack of the senses" according to Robert.
01 Like an Animal
02 Looking Glass Girl
03 Sex-Eye-Make Up
04 Mr. Alphabet Says
05 A Blues In Drag
06 Punish Me With Kisses
07 This Green City
08 Orgy
09 Perfect Murder
10 Relax
11 The Man from Nowhere
12 Mouth to Mouth
13 The Tightrope
Around that time, The Cure (Robert & Lol), entered Jam Studio to record electronic music for a new single (THE WALK, LAMENT, THE UPSTAIRS ROOM, THE DREAM) with Steve Nye producing - resulting in Robert to conclude: "every week I'm in another group".
JUNE
London, Angel Studio
Robert spent the month recording the Hyaena album with Siouxsie and the Banshees. A strange video for THE WALK was done by Tim Pope.
JULY
THE WALK/THE UPSTAIRS ROOM single got released and became a hit in the UK, obliging The Cure to appear twice on Top Of The Pops. Porl Thompson mimed teh bass on the first showing. Then Phil Thornalley took the job and became the Cure's bassist. The band was a 4-piece now with him, Andy Anderson on drums, Lol Tolhurst on keyboards and Robert.
This line-up would also embark for a few live dates in the UK, USA, France soundign quite different from previous Cure's incarnations. Most of the songs included keyboard parts.
27th
Bournemouth, Midnight Express
Secret gig in a small club used as a warm up for the Elephant Fayre festival appearence. PORNOGRAPHY, A FOREST, THE DROWNING MAN, ALL CATS ARE GREY (Soundcheck), ONE HUNDRED YEARS, FOREVER
28th
Bath, Moles Club
Another secret gig. The band tried more songs they didn't play fefore: THE HANGING GARDEN, LAMENT, and THE WALK (the original keyboards tune played on guitar). FOREVER was very short that night probably because they had to end the show on time. COLD
AUGUST
The band arrived in America for a few concerts (only New York, and California, like in 1981) since they didn't tour playing the songs from PORNOGRAPHY there. In San Francisco, they tried THE FUNERAL PARTY for the first and last time. That version was pretty interesting, apart from including lots of improvised lyrics, the song actually sounded quiete different (lower octaves).
14th
Paris, Studio des Dames
Recording songs for a new single: THE LOVECATS, SPEAK MY LANGUAGE, MR. PINK EYES, A HAND INSIDE MY MOUTH. The song was inspired by the Aristocats movie (taking place in Paris). So teh whole idea was to record a jazzy single there. Part of the lyrics could also be interpreted as a suicide pact between two lovers.
SEPTEMBER
THE GLOVE'S BLUE SUNSHINE album was released. Robert Smith spent this month and part of the following with the Banshees: videos, Top of the Pops, live dates...
THE LOVECATS single was released and became THE CURE's biggest hit to date (reaching #7 in the charts). The video for the song was filmed in a house in Hampstead; Robert spread the idea that they got it through an estate agent as they pretended being interested in buying it, and gave back the keys once the video was shot.
DECEMBER
16th
A LP compilation called JAPANESE WHISPERS, putting the last three CURE singles together was released. Works on the next CURE album started immediately after at the Garden and Eden studios: SHAKE DOG SHAKE, PIGGY IN THE MIRROR, BIRDMAD GIRL, GIVE ME IT, THROW YOUR FOOT, HAPPY THE MAN, THE CATERPILLAR. Demos were also done at Olympic Studios: SADACIC.
25th
The band appeard a third time at Top Of The Pops miming THE LOVECATS. Porl still mimed the cello on the song while Robert was completely drunk for this Chrestmas special. Robert would also mimed DEAR PRUDENCE with the Banshees on the same show.
JANUARY
Recording more demos with Steve Severin for The Glove (named after one character in The Beatles' Yellow Submarine). LIKE AN ANIMAL, LOOKING GLASS GIRL, SEX-EYE-MAKE UP, MR. ALPHABET SAYS, A BLUES IN DRAG, PUNISH ME WITH KISSES, THIS GREEN CITY, ORGY, PERFECT MURDER, RELAX, THE MAN FROM NOWHERE, MOUTH TO MOUTH, OPENED TEH BOX (A WALTZ), THE TIGHTROPE (ALMOST TIME), AND ALL AROUND US THE MERMAIDS SANG, HOLIDAY 80
Robert Smith spent the following month touring with the Banshees (Japan/New Zealand/Australia).
MARCH
7th
London, Hammersmith, Riverside Studios
TV performance with Lol on drums, Steve Severin on bass, Marc Almond's Venomettes on strings. Robert Smith played and sang SIAMESE TWINS live while two Royal Ballet dancers would do an entire coregraphy to the song. That was a test to see how Robert could write a score for the Royal Ballet. This project wouldn't see the light of day.
11th
Manchester, Oxford Road Show, TV
Originally a promotional appearance for LET'S GO TO BED, but by putting out a band especially for this (Andy Anderson on drums, Derek Thompson - from SPK - on bass), Robert and Lol played ONE HUNDRED YEARS, and THE FIGUREHEAD live instead.
RARE INERVIEW
MAY
Recording the BLUE SUNSHINE album for THE GLOVE (Robert Smith and Steve Severin's project together) with Andy Anderson on drums adn Jeannette Landray on vocals. An "attack of the senses" according to Robert.
01 Like an Animal
02 Looking Glass Girl
03 Sex-Eye-Make Up
04 Mr. Alphabet Says
05 A Blues In Drag
06 Punish Me With Kisses
07 This Green City
08 Orgy
09 Perfect Murder
10 Relax
11 The Man from Nowhere
12 Mouth to Mouth
13 The Tightrope
Around that time, The Cure (Robert & Lol), entered Jam Studio to record electronic music for a new single (THE WALK, LAMENT, THE UPSTAIRS ROOM, THE DREAM) with Steve Nye producing - resulting in Robert to conclude: "every week I'm in another group".
JUNE
London, Angel Studio
Robert spent the month recording the Hyaena album with Siouxsie and the Banshees. A strange video for THE WALK was done by Tim Pope.
JULY
THE WALK/THE UPSTAIRS ROOM single got released and became a hit in the UK, obliging The Cure to appear twice on Top Of The Pops. Porl Thompson mimed teh bass on the first showing. Then Phil Thornalley took the job and became the Cure's bassist. The band was a 4-piece now with him, Andy Anderson on drums, Lol Tolhurst on keyboards and Robert.
This line-up would also embark for a few live dates in the UK, USA, France soundign quite different from previous Cure's incarnations. Most of the songs included keyboard parts.
27th
Bournemouth, Midnight Express
Secret gig in a small club used as a warm up for the Elephant Fayre festival appearence. PORNOGRAPHY, A FOREST, THE DROWNING MAN, ALL CATS ARE GREY (Soundcheck), ONE HUNDRED YEARS, FOREVER
28th
Bath, Moles Club
Another secret gig. The band tried more songs they didn't play fefore: THE HANGING GARDEN, LAMENT, and THE WALK (the original keyboards tune played on guitar). FOREVER was very short that night probably because they had to end the show on time. COLD
AUGUST
The band arrived in America for a few concerts (only New York, and California, like in 1981) since they didn't tour playing the songs from PORNOGRAPHY there. In San Francisco, they tried THE FUNERAL PARTY for the first and last time. That version was pretty interesting, apart from including lots of improvised lyrics, the song actually sounded quiete different (lower octaves).
14th
Paris, Studio des Dames
Recording songs for a new single: THE LOVECATS, SPEAK MY LANGUAGE, MR. PINK EYES, A HAND INSIDE MY MOUTH. The song was inspired by the Aristocats movie (taking place in Paris). So teh whole idea was to record a jazzy single there. Part of the lyrics could also be interpreted as a suicide pact between two lovers.
SEPTEMBER
THE GLOVE'S BLUE SUNSHINE album was released. Robert Smith spent this month and part of the following with the Banshees: videos, Top of the Pops, live dates...
OCTOBER
25thTHE LOVECATS single was released and became THE CURE's biggest hit to date (reaching #7 in the charts). The video for the song was filmed in a house in Hampstead; Robert spread the idea that they got it through an estate agent as they pretended being interested in buying it, and gave back the keys once the video was shot.
DECEMBER
16th
A LP compilation called JAPANESE WHISPERS, putting the last three CURE singles together was released. Works on the next CURE album started immediately after at the Garden and Eden studios: SHAKE DOG SHAKE, PIGGY IN THE MIRROR, BIRDMAD GIRL, GIVE ME IT, THROW YOUR FOOT, HAPPY THE MAN, THE CATERPILLAR. Demos were also done at Olympic Studios: SADACIC.
25th
The band appeard a third time at Top Of The Pops miming THE LOVECATS. Porl still mimed the cello on the song while Robert was completely drunk for this Chrestmas special. Robert would also mimed DEAR PRUDENCE with the Banshees on the same show.
